Feb. 14, 2006
LOS ANGELES - The San Diego State men's tennis team posted three victories in singles play, but it wasn't enough as the 47th-ranked Aztecs dropped a narrow 4-3 decision to No. 7 UCLA at the Los Angeles Tennis Center on Tuesday. With the loss, SDSU falls to 3-2 on the season, while the Bruins improve to 5-2.
After losing the first match in doubles action, the Aztecs knotted things up when the duo of Christian Groh (Crailsheim, Germany) and Stephan Timu (Montreal, Quebec) defeated the UCLA tandem of Mathieu Dehaine and Aaron Yovan, 8-4. However, SDSU's Benedikt Stronk (Berlin, Germany) and Markus Dickhardt (Marburg, Germany) came up short in their contest with Bruins' Phillip Gruendler and Benjamin Kohlloefel, 8-4, giving UCLA the decisive point.
In singles play, Groh and Dickhardt emerged victorious at the No. 2 and No. 3 positions, respectively, to remain undefeated in dual-match competition this season. Groh rallied from a first-set deficit to overpower Haythem Abid, 3-6, 6-3, 6-2, while Dickhardt upset the Bruins' 75th-ranked Mathieu Dehaine, 6-1, 7-5.
At the No. 5 position, Stephan Timu notched the Aztecs' third triumph of the day, defeating Aaron Yovan in a tough three-set battle, 3-6, 6-3, 7-5, but UCLA recorded three singles victories of their own to escape with the match.
SDSU will return to the courts on Saturday, Feb. 25, when it faces off against East Tennessee State. The match is scheduled for a noon start at Aztec Tennis Center.
No. 7 UCLA 4, No. 47 SAN DIEGO STATE 3
Doubles:
1) Philipp Greundler/Benjamin Kohlleffel (UCLA) def. Benedikt Stronk/Markus Dickhardt (SDSU), 8-4.
2) Haythem Abid/Chris Surapol (UCLA) def. Robert Sabo/Billy Timu (SDSU), 8-1.
3) Christian Groh/Stephan Timu (SDSU) def. Mathieu Dehaine/Aaron Yovan (UCLA), 8-4.
UCLA wins doubles point
Singles:
1) No. 3 Benjamin Kohlleffel UCLA) def. Benedikt Stronk (SDSU), 6-1, 4-6, 6-2.
2) Christian Groh (SDSU) def. Haythem Abid (UCLA), 3-6, 6-3, 6-2.
3) Markus Dickhardt (SDSU) def. No. 75 Mathieu Dehaine (UCLA), 6-1, 7-5.
4) Chris Surapol UCLA) def. Anthony Gomez (SDSU), 6-2, 6-2.
5) Stephan Timu (SDSU) def. Aaron Yovan (UCLA), 3-6, 6-3, 7-5.
6) Michael Look (UCLA) def. No. 84 Robert Sabo (SDSU), 6-1, 6-1.
Order of finish: 6, 4, 3, 1*, 2, 5
*match-securing victory